Body mass index and risk for COVID-19-related hospitalization in adults aged 50 and older in Europe

Abstract

Higher body mass index (BMI) has been associated with a higher risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate associations among BMI, underlying health conditions and hospital admission as well as the effects of COVID-19 vaccines in adults aged 50 years and older in Europe using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) which was collected from June to August 2021, shortly after the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic occurred in Europe. Survey data totalling 1936 individuals were used for statistical analyses to calculate the likelihood of hospitalization due to COVID-19 infection in relation to BMI, sociodemographic factors, comorbidities and COVID vaccination status. Approximately 16% of individuals testing positive for COVID-19 were hospitalized for COVID-19, and over 75% of these hospitalized individuals were either overweight or obese. The likelihood of hospitalization for individuals with obesity was approximately 1.5 times (CI [1.05-2.05]) higher than those with a healthy weight (BMI = 18.5-24.9 kg/m2) after adjusting for BMI, sex and age. After adjusting for sociodemographic factors, vaccination and comorbidities, the likelihood of hospitalization for individuals with obesity was 1.34 times higher than those with a healthy weight (CI [0.94-1.90]). Vaccine uptake was lowest in individuals with obesity (BMI >= 30 kg/m2) in all age groups. Individuals who had not received a vaccine were 1.8 times more likely to be hospitalized (CI [1.34-2.30]). Across European regions, obesity is associated with higher odds of hospitalization, and vaccination may be effective to reduce these odds for older adults.